Rotary stirrer.



L PRATTB.

ROTARY STIRRER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 19, 1912.

3 r r 7 1 T m h u KW 4 m F r, 6 M v w HU 9 m .6 2 J Y i! 7 I c a m 3 3 x 5 M 1 TE STATES PATENT curios.

LUQIEN PRATTE, 0F WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

ROTARY S'IIRBER.

fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus of that class appropriately known as rotary stirrers, since each thereof embodies, in conjunction with a suitable container, a rotatable operating member.

The object of this invention is to provide a rotary stirrer which shall be simple and comparatively inexpensive as regards construction; durable, efficient and reliable in practical service; which may be readily knocked down for shipment, cleansing, or other purposes; which shall embody novel features whereby are insured not only marked facility and convenience in the operation of assembling the parts for service, but,and this mainly without the provision of separate or detaciable fasteners for the purpose,-tl1e maintenance of said parts under such relative adjustment as shall insure the most advantageous cooperative relation between the same; and which shall possess certain well-defined advantages over prior analogous constructions.

The invention consists in certain combinations, details and parts whereby, together with the novel disposition and relative arrangement of said parts, the attainment of the foregoing object is rendered practicable, all of which will be hereinafter more specifically referred to and set forth in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated'in the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference-numerals denote like parts throughout the several views, as to which:

Figure l is a central, vertical section of a rotary stirrer embodying my said improvements, the beater proper, the primary driving mechanism, and the support for the latter, being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of same, portions of the container and primary supporting medium being broken'away. Fig. 3 is a view showing, in elevation, detached from the container, and looking at the crank-receiving end of the driving-shaft, the primary and secondary supporting mediums of the con- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filedApr'il 19, 1912.

Patemted Feb-.18,.19.13-

Serial No. 691,819.

struction, with the operating parts mounted thereon, respectively, the opposite sides of the primary supporting medium being broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view, showing one of the fixed segmental bearings for the driving-shaft, together with a portion of the bearing-cap 1n readiness for adjustment thereto, the scale being enlarged. Fig. 5 is a detail top plan view, partly in horizontal section, of the beatercarrying mandrel which I make use of, the scale being enlarged. Fig. 6 is a detail side elevation of the construction as shown in Fig. 5, the mandrel having been turned approximately ninety degrces 'to the :right from the position it is shown as occupying in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view, showing more particularly minor fea tures of the driving-shaft and the manner of adjusting the driving-crank thereto.

In carrying out my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, 1 make use of a container 2, of any suitable material, enameled metal/being preferred. Disposed at the upper extremity of said container is a primary supporting-medium 3, preferably in the form of a cover, spanning and closing the entire top thereof. Supporting medium 3 is provided with a central opening 3, and at its under side, along the margin thereof, with a depending lip 3", which fits snugly into the container 2, at the top thereof.

Within the opening 3', and projecting somewhat above and suitably below the supporting medium 3, there is freely disposed a hollow mandrel 4, the same being provided with a lateral shoulder 4, which engages the boss 3", encircling the opening 3, and whereby said mandrel is held rotatably suspended from said supporting medium.

The mandrel 4 is.provided to the end that a suitable agitating device ma be disposed for cooperation therewith; an in this connection I provide a heater which comprises a vertical shaft 4", from the lower portion of which, at suitable intervals t-herealong, radiate a plurality of arms 2, which arms merge, respective y, at their ends distant from the shaft 4", into an upright gathering-web 2", said arms and thegatheringweb aforenamed being given,'approximately as a whole, an appropriate general curvature away from the shaft v4" and in the direction of the direct movement thereof.

It is preferable that the foregoing beaterarms.

a terminal socket 5, provided with a lateral tion communicating for service, socket with the comprises a vertical portion,

arm'sand gathering-web be duplicated at the opposite side of the shaft 4", as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing; and attention is here particularly called to the fact thattthe elongated space, intervening between any pair of the arms 2, uniformly decreases in width from the shaft 4', to the gathering-web at the distant ends of said To the end that the beater aforenamed may be quickly and tached to, or detached from, the mandrel 4, shaft 4" carries, at its upper extremity, a

detent 5f while mandrel 4 has formed in the wall thereof a slot-like detent-way 5",Whi ch open at its lower terminus, anda horizontal portion, the latter communicating with, and leading from, said vertical portion, at the upper extremity thereof, and at right-angles, approximately. thereto, said horizontal porat its end distant from said vertical portion, with a suitable depression or notch, whose bottom'provides a detent-seat 5'7, allas clearly indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Hence, in assembling the'mandrel 4 and the beater aforenamed, 5 having been brought into axial alinementwith said mandrel, at the lower end thereof, and in'a manner proper to bring the detent 5 into registry detent-way 5",said socket is passed endwise into said mandrel, the latter being hollow as indicated in the drawings and as hereinbefore stated; and during this adjustment of the parts, detent 5 moves upwardly along the detent-way 5", to the top thereof;

. then, by rotating either said mandrel or said mandrel 4:, and andoccupies itsseat 5", on-one side bye before stated,

will, act as a unit, upon the latter being ro-.

'. ever, primarily socket in the proper direction and relatively to the other, detent 5 is caused to move along, and throughout theyextent of, the

horizontal portion aforenamed of said detent-way; whereupon, the several parts 'oc cupying an upright position, the beater aforenamed. as awhole; descends, as by'its own gravity, somewhat relatively to the detent 5 accordingly finds where it is flanked portion of the general wall of the mandrel 4, and on the opposite side by a small riser, 6. It will be observed that upon the parts being assembled as hereinsaid heater and said mandrel tated in eitherdirection, and barring any undue upward thrust on the former. Howto insure a fixed axis of rotation for said mandrel and beater, when assembled as above specified, and incidentally to key -said'parts against voluntary separation, as might casually follow an upward thrust on said heater, I provide a fixed, depending arbor 6, which projects axially into and downwardly along the interior of the mandrel 4,5 and correspondingly into and conveniently at- 7 1 driving means may ing the mandrel beater suspended therefrom; but in this con- .nection I purpose to provide said mandrel,

, circumferentially thereof 3, ;a, secondary "supporting medium, shown as-approximating a spider in general "form,- and merged laterally into an extensionvided with thereof, due clearance 7 being accordingly provided for messes of the socket-5, with its lower end, preferably rounded, entering and occupying a recess 6", constituting a continuation of the bore, as 6', of said socket, and reduced in comparison therewith.

The length of the arbor extreme lower end terminates at, or in close proximity to, the bottom of the recess 6", when the parts are adjusted in a manner to cause the detent 5' to engage and occupy its seat 5. Hence, under a suitable pressure exerted downwardly on the arbor 6, detent 5 will, to all practical intents and purposes, become keyed to its seat 5", and the mandrel 4 and heater aforenamed may not be of the user, until such pressure is withdrawn from the arbor 6, and, ordinarily, the latter is more or less withdrawn from its position within said mandrel and the socket 5. Arbor 6 performs a still further advantageous function, in that it provides, axially of the mandrel '4 and the socket 5, an extensive bearing surface, or, as herein particularly contemplated, distantly removed bearing surfaces, for said mandrel and socket 'oint ly,

and whereby is insured marked uni ormity or steadiness in the rotative action of the beater aforenamed, in the practical operation of my improved stirrer.

It will be understood that any appropriate be availed of for actuat- 4, and accordingly the with bevel-teeth set after the manner so-calledfthe purpose of clearly hereat' its upper extremity,

of a bevel-pinion, which teeth will "appear more inafter.

ably so,"'on-the primary supporting medium here "body 7,

7, proan elongated opening 7 'f and comprising a central from which general structure, consisting joined therewith, radiate, preferably at equidistant intervals with respect thereto, a plurality of legs 7, turned downwardly near their free ends, and merged, respectively,

into feet 8, which feetengage the primary 6 is such that its said body and the extension aforenamed con- I v There is seated, and at all; times displacesupporting medium 3, at the top surface between the latter and the body the upper portion aforenamed of the man drel 4:.

Substantial studs 8 depend, one from each of the feet 8, which studs project freely downward through the medium 3, by way of suitable openings, as 8", formed therein for the purpose, said openings being suitably spaced concentrically to, and each situated at a proper radial distance from, the center of said medium 3, to receive, each thereof one of the studs aforenamed. Arbor 6 is formed integrall with, and depends centrally from the ody 7, and the latter spans and substantially houses the upper portion of the mandrel 4, save that marginal segment thereof which registers with the opening 7 thereabove.

9 denotes a web-like standard, rising, as from one of the legs 7", at right angles to the opening 7 flanked, preferably, on opposite sides by reinforcing webs 9, 9, and terminatin at its top edge in a segmental bearing 9 or a'plurality thereof, for the reception of a driving-shaft 10. There is firmly mounted on said driving-shaft, at the end thereof which measurably overlies the body 7, a bevel-toothed driving-wheel 10', the lower margin of which projects downwardly through the extension 7', by way of the opening 7 formed therein, to

. the end that the teeth of said driving-wheel .dle 11"; and to the end that shaft ,10 shall may be brought into mesh with the teeth of the mandrel 4, whenever the shaft 10 shall have been duly adjusted to the bearing 9", as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

10 denotes a cap for the segmental bearing 9', said cap being applied endwise to said bearing, after the manner of a dovetail, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4, and forming a complete and serviceablebearing for the shaft 10. The shaft last mentioned merges at its end opposite to the drive-wheel 10, into a flattened extension 11, adapted to receive the crank-eye 11', of a crank 11", the latter being provided with a suitable hanturn with the crank 11" upon the latter being turned, the extension 11 is longitudinally flattened at one side, or at opposite sides, thereof, and the opening, as 12, 0f the crank-eye 11', is shaped or formed accordingly the flattening of said extension 11 resulting in the formation of a shoulder .or shoulders 12', against which the crank-eye 11' impinges, to prevent any binding effect between the same and the driving-wheel 10, on the cap 10" and as under stress from a fastening-nut 13, the distance between said shoulder or shoulders and said drivingwheel being greater, to this end, than the length of said cap. The extension 11 is oppositely threaded, as at the points 12" for the reception of a fastening-nut 13, which looks the crank-eye 11 on said extension, firmly against the shoulder or shoulders 12, and incidentally, through the medium of said crank-eye, locks cap 10 in place on the segmental bearing 9", said cap being adjusted to said bearing prior to the adjustment of either the cranloeye 11 or nut 13' on the extension 11, all as will be readily understood.

The 0 crating parts being assembled as hereinbe ore explained, it will be noted that studs 8, each occupying the opening provided in the medium 3 to receive it, prevent shifting action on the part of the secondar supporting medium aforenamed, indepen ently of, and concentric to, said medium 3, while at all times said secondary supporting medium, with the several elements supported thereby, may be directly and at once removed from the medium 3, by a mere lifting force applied thereto. Again, in replacing said secondary medium on the primary medium 3, arbor 6 is first inserted downwardly into the bore of the mandrel 4; whereupon, if the studs 8' chance to be in registry, respectively, with the openings 8", they willat once enter the same, otherwise they will engage the medium 3, at the top surface thereof and at arbitrary points therealong. In this latter contingency it is only necessary to duly shift the secondary supporting medium aforenamed concentrically to the medium 3, and as about the arbor 6, to bring the studs 8 into due registry with the openings provided to receive the same, said arbor, being relatively greater in length than said studs, respectively, and acting, accordingly, more or less as a finder. A further advantage traceable to the employment of the arbor 6', resides in the fact that the elimination from the construction as a whole of any additional bearing, as at the lower end of beater-shaft 4', is rendered feasible, the beater of my improved stirrer being merely suspended from the mandrel 4 thereof.

The various separable parts of the construction, together with the minor elements attached thereto or conjoined therewith, are preferably produced from metal, metal al 10y, or other suitable material, and either its by the process of casting, stamping, or

otherwise, as found advisable in practice.

As to the operation of my improved stirrer, it may be stated that, the material or materials to be stirred, and consequently, where different materials or ingredients constitute the mass to be stirred, more or less intimately blended or merged together, having been placed within the container 2, and the mandrel 4 and heater aforenamed having been adjusted each relatively to the other and jointly with-respect to the medium .3, the latter is positioned on, and in such a manner that said mandrel and beater jointly depend therefrom within, the container 2, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1; then the secondary supporting medium aforenamed,

with'the several parts an ported thereby, is

positioned, as hereinbe ore explained, on said primary supporting medium, under which adjustment of the ,parts the teeth of the driving-wheel 10 are brought into mesh with the teeth of the mandrel 4; whereupon crank 11 is turned in that direction proper to cause the beater aforenamed to turn coin idently with the direction of curvature of the arms 2, relatively to the beater-shaft l; During this operation, the gathering-web 2 gathers, as it were, more or less of the contents of the container 2 at and along the circumferential wall thereof and directs the same toward the axis of movement of the beater aforenamed, and through the opening or openings formed in said heater, between the arms thereof, in volumes varying in conformity with the variation in width of such openings, or any thereof.

During the foregoing operation the user, while turning the crank 11" with one hand, applies, as with a finger or fingers of his other hand, a downward pressure, as to the body 7 of the secondary supporting medium aforenamed, thereby holding the same duly in place, and incidentally steadying the whole construction while crank 11 is being thus turned.

While, as will be noted, my improved stirrer may be advantageously availed of for stirring various commodities or ingredients, the same is more particularly intended for use in the process of commingling or merging together an oleaginous solid, as butter, and a suitable fluid, as sweet milk, as for the production of a known and whole some butter product; and as the application of heat becomes needful in this connection, my improved stirrer is peculiarly well adapted for the purpose, since the container 2, with such contents as shall have been-placed therein, may be placed directly upon or over any convenient and approved heat generator, as an ordinary cooking range.

It will be seen that my improved stirrer is well adapted for the purposes for which it is intended, and further that the same may be modified to a considerable extent. particularly as regards -the form of either the primary or secondary supporting mediums made use of, the disposition of the rigid arbor G, the specific features'whereloy detachability of the beater from the mandrel made use of, is secured, and various minor details of the general construction without departing from 'the spirit and principle of my invention.

I claim:

1. A rotary stirrer comprising a container; a mandrel having a longitudinal bore, rotatably supported thereon; a beater detachably suspended from said mandrel; and a nonrotatable arbor, the latter entering said mandrel axially and downwardly, and being at all times freely removable upwardly therefrom.

2. A rotary stirrer comprising a container; a mandrel having a longitudinal bore, rotatably supported thereon; a beater being at all times medium,

' having formed detachably suspended from said mandrel; and a non-rotatable arbor, the latter entering said mandrel axially and downwardly, serving, under pressure duly applied downwardly thereon, to prevent casual detachment of said beater from said mandrel, and

freely removable upwardly from the latter.

3. A rotary stirrer comprising a container; a mandrel having a longitudinal bore, rotatably supported thereon; a heater,

within said container, engaging said mandrel and rotatable therewith; and a supporting medium, mandrel aforenamed, and having formed thereon a depending arbor, which arbor enters downwardly the bore of said mandrel upon adjustment of said supporting medium being efiected.

4:. A rotary stirrer comprising a container; a primary supportingmedium, having a central opening, mounted thereon; a mandrel having a longitudinal bore, rotatably seated on said primary supporting in registry with the opening thereof aforenamed a secondary supporting medium, overlying saidcmandrel, seated on said primary supporting medium, and having formed thereon a depending arbor, which arbor enters downwardly the bore of the mandrel aforenamed upon adjustment of said secondary supporting medium being efiected.

5. A rotary stirrer comprising a container; a supportin medium thereon; a heater therein, sa-i supporting medium thereon an arbor which depends therefrom 1n axial alinement with the axis of movement of said beater; and connections between said depending arbor and said beater, whereby the latter may be rotated.

6. A rotary stirrer comprising a container; a primary supporting medium thereon; a heater therein; a secondary supporting medium seated, at all times displaceably, on said primary supporting medium, and having formed thereon an arbor which depends therefrom in axial alinement with the axis of movement of said beater; and connections between said depending arbor and said heater whereby the latter may be rotated.

'7. In a stirrer, in combination, a container; a primary supporting medium thereon; a mandrel having a longitudinal bore, mounted on said primary supporting medium; and a secondary supporting medium, the latter overlying, and having an arbor which enters downwardly the bore of, said mandrel, and being thereby rendered ca- 8. A rotary stirrer comprising a conthe latter overlying the tainer; a supporting medium, having an tudinal bore; and a beater pending therefrom,

- ing a terminal socket engaging the mandrel aforenamed after the manner of a bayonet lock, and said socket and the arbor aforenamed entering the bore of said mandrel from the lower and upper ends thereof, respectively.

9. A rotary stirrer comprising a container; a supporting medium thereon; a mandrel rotatably mounted on said supporting medium; a heater depending from said mandrel.and rotatable therewith; and an additional supporting medium, the latter seated, at all times displaceably, on the supporting medium first named, overlying said mandrel, and sustaining suitable mechanism whereby the mandrel may be driven.

10. A rotary stirrer comprising a con tainer, a supporting medium thereon, a beater therein, said heater embodying a shaft having duly spaced arms radiating therefrom and merging at their distant ends into an upright gathering-web, and the space or opening between any pair of said arms decreasing in width, as from said shaft to said gathering-web, connections between said supporting mediumand said heater whereby the latter may be rotated, and a duly supported, fixed element, arranged in axial allnement with the shaft of said heater and determining the axis of rotation thereof.

11. A rotary stirrer comprising'a container, a primary supporting medium thereon, a mandrel rotatably depending from said rimary supportingvmedlum, and provide at its upper extremity with teeth set circumferentially thereof, a beater within said container and held detachably in engagement with said mandrel, and in a manner to rotate as a unit therewith, a secondary supporting medium, freely seated at all times on said primary supporting medium, and provided with a fixed arbor which de pends therefrom and determines the axis of rotation of said mandrel, and with an elongated opening, and a driving-shaft rotatably mounted on said secondary medium, and provided with a crank and a toothed driving-wheel, the latter projecting downwardly partially through said secondary su porting medium, by way of the 0 ening a orenamed, to permit meshing of its teeth with the teeth of said mandrel, upon said secondary supporting medium being supporting duly positioned upon said primary supporting medium.

12. In a stirrer, in combination, a container, a primary supporting medium thereon, provided with openings arranged uniformly as to distance from the center thereof, and at equal intervals apart, a secondary supporting medium, provided with downwardly projecting studs adapted to register with and fit into, each thereof one of the openings aforenamed, upon said. secondary supporting medium being duly positioned relatively to and upon said primary supporting medium, driving mechanism supported by said secondary supporting-medium, a heater within said container, and connections between said beater and said driving mechanism, whereby the former is caused to rotate upon said driving mechanism being duly actuated, said secondary supporting medium having a central, de-

axis of rotation of said beater.

pending element serving to determine the Witnesses: CHAS. H. Essex, I Cnas Gj'Roo'r LUCIEN PRATTE. 

